Vulcan’s Boerne Batch Plant’s a Go

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has greenlighted construction of a controversial concrete batch plant by this school and established neighborhoods.

Vulcan Materials Company’s Boerne concrete batch plant is a go.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) approved a required air-quality permit on Thursday, May 24 despite fierce opposition from community members and local government in Kendall County.

Vulcan Materials can now move forward with construction of the controversial batch plant, which residents argue is located near long-established neighborhoods and a school.

TCEQ’s decision is being closely watched by activists in Comal County. They’re also awaiting a ruling from TCEQ about an air-quality permit for Vulcan’s controversial proposed 1,500-acre open-pit rock-crushing plant, to be located at SH 46 and FM 3009, between Bulverde and New Braunfels.

Crushed limestone from the Comal quarry would be processed at the Boerne location.

Groups Condemn Decision

“It is shameful that the State of Texas treats its citizens this way,” she said. “The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance has long been recommending that the state assess all environmental impacts of aggregate industry permitting on local communities and water resources. To deny the citizens impacted by this batch plant even the opportunity to contest the permit is especially shameful. We will be calling on the state legislature to give local governments more control to enable them to weigh in, in a meaningful way on incompatible land uses such as this.”

The Boerne to Bergheim Coalition for a Clean Environment (BBCCE), which spearheads most grassroots opposition to Vulcan’s concrete batch plant, say its members are disappointed by TCEQ’s decision but not “deflated.”

“This shows how shallow TCEQ’s review and approval process really is,” says Woody Stephenson, a Pleasant Valley resident and BBCCE member. “It’s unbelievable that TCEQ is fine with local children and the elderly breathing polluted air, when they really don’t have to.”

BBCCE says it plans to proceed with necessary administrative steps before filing a lawsuit.

The group has scheduled a meeting for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 29 at Kendall Plantation, 20 Guthrie Rd, Boerne to discuss next steps.

BBCCE said TCEQ admitted during a public hearing in April that the decision to greenlight the facility was “already approved” before there was a chance for the public to comment.

What Commissioners Think

Meanwhile, an estimated 12,000 Comal residents live within five miles of the proposed rock-crushing quarry at SH 46 and FM 3009.

Although the fight to keep Vulcan out of New Braunfels and Bulverde centers around issues like as carcinogenic dust, depletion and contamination of water resources, truck traffic and lower property values, it’s also alarmed residents who did not know Texas counties have only limited authority to regulate land use outside of city limits.

At the urging of constituents, Comal County commissioners on March 21 passed a resolution asking TCEQ to use its expertise to protect the health, safety and welfare of Comal County residents. However, they admitted there is little they can do to stop Vulcan quarry.

“We don’t have the authority that most people perceive that we do,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking to see this happening, and if we had it in our toolbox to be able to stop it, I’m sure that you’d have the support for that.”

Donna Eccleston, Comal County Commissioner, Pct. 1, added commissioners lack the authority to even ask for extra monitors and increased water vigilance.

“So I implore you to look at the people who can make significant changes, which are your legislators and the state,” she said.

Stop3009VulcanQuarry.com, which represents residents and opponents to the proposed quarry operation, quickly fired back: “By passing this ineffective resolution, commissioners continue to side with an out-of-state corporation rather than the citizens they were elected to represent.”

Next Steps for Comal County

Next month, concerned citizens and experts on Texas state law hope to bring some clarity to the issue.

On June 5, League of Women Voters, Comal Area, GEAA and Preserve Our Hill Country Environment will sponsor a public forum about ways fast-growing Hill Country counties can assert more control over incompatible land uses and other impacts of development.

The meeting is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 5 at GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels.

5 Comments

“…asking TCEQ to use its expertise to protect the health, safety and welfare of Comal County residents.” God help you, you’re seeing what happens when they do that. At this point the TCEQ is just another branch office of industry.

The Dude is right as much as I hate to admit it. The republican party law makers in Texas have turned a blind eye to the blight of the Concrete and Aggregate industry. They have virtually ruined several counties and there is no real legal way to stop them except for an expensive legal fight that will have to go on for years. At this point Vulcan & Westward Environmental has given us no other choice. TCEQ documents clearly hsow that Vulcan is not treated like other companies and they enjoy special privileges like avoiding the rules of the Audit Privilege Act so they have no incentive to follow the law here right next to an elementary school and homes. It it outrageous, unlawful and ruining lives in the Hill Country.

Hey, this is what you voted Republican for. Businesses take precedence over people. Everyone is okay with everything until it impacts them. Consistently voting against your own self interests will eventually catch up to you….Reap what you sow, bro.

Upcoming Events

James Oliver of Texas Agricultural Land Trust is the featured speaker at the August meeting of Comal County Conservation Alliance. He'll discuss conservation easements and how they help preserve open lands in Comal County. Open to the public.

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School supplies, haircuts, vision-and-hearing tests and much more for kids. Free to all school-age children. Vendors and donations welcomed! Community Resource and Recreatioan Center of Canyon Lake provides vital social service resources and life-enriching recreational and educational opportunities for Canyon Lake residents.

Jon Zeitler, Science & Operations officer for National Weather Service, Austin/San Antonio Weather Forecast Office, discusses phenology, the study of key seasonal changes in plants and animals from year-to-year. Examples include flowering, emergence of insects and migration of birds as they relate to timing and relationship with weather and climate. ...

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Get ready to put 'em on the bus. Follow these directions --The 2018-2019 school bus routes for the Smithson Valley feeder are available now on Bus Route Locator.

To access the Bus Route Locator, find the link located on the main www.comalisd.org web page under the Spotlight menu. You will need to enter your address and other necessary information in order to find your route.

*Bus Routes are subject to change due to students continuing to enroll into our District. You are encouraged to revisit the Bus Route Locator link to verify your student’s schedule prior to the first day of school*

If you have any questions, please give the Transportation Department a call at 830-885-9800.

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